Underside lubricating apparatus



Aug. 3, 1965 F. J. LYDEN UNDERSIDE LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 26, 1962 FIG. 7

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SQSS? Patented Aug.' 3, 1965 nice 3,198,287 UNDERSDE JURRCATING APRTUS 'Franlr Il. Lyden, 1115 N. 9th St., Manitowoc, YVis. Filed Jan. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 169,038 7 Claims. (Cl. 18d-16) rThis invention relates to liquid applying apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for applying a liquid lubricant to the underside of moving chains, belts, sheet stock and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved brush-type lubricating apparatus for effective and reliable underside lubrication of chains and other moving members.

Another object is to provide an underside lubricator which will afford a controlled supply of oil to an applicator brush thereof, permit ready adjustment of the rate of oil feed, and minimize dripping of oil.

Still another object is to provide an underside lubricator including means for permitting convenient adjustment of the applicator brush to insure proper brush contact with the chain and to compensate for brush wear.

A further object is to provide an underside lubricator including an applicator brush along which the upward passage of oil is assisted by liow of compressed air.

A still further object is to perfect details of construction generally and to simplify manufacture and installation.

rIfhe invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating certain embodiments of the invention:

FIG. l is an elevational view, partly in section, of underside lubricating apparatus arranged in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of a fountain brush unit of the apparatus, on a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a detail elevational view, partly in section, of a shank brush of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational View of a modified form of underside lubricator;

FG. 5 is a detail elevational view of the shank brush for the lubricator of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a mounting body or fitting for the lubricator of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational view of another modified form of underside lubricator;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevational View of a modified form of constant level device, and v FG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modified form of fluid supply for the lubricator of FG. 4.

Referring to the form of underside lubricating apparatus shown in FGS. l to 3, 1t) designates a fountain brush unit which is disposed below a conveyor or drive chain 11 or other moving member to be lubricatedA and is supplied with oil from a constant level device 12, FlG.

Vl, by way of a fiexible conduit 13, such as a length of copper tubing or plastic tubing, an example of the latter being Saran tubing.

The fountain brush unit 1t) includes a cup-like oil container 14 in which is centrally disposed a generally vertical inverted oil-applying brush 15, the container and brush being constructed and mounted as hereinafter described. The lower portion of the brush is submerged in a pool of oil 16 in the container, the oil pool being maintained at a suitable adjustable level 17 by the constant level device 12, and oil being fed upwardly in the brush by capillary action. The brush projects a short distance above the open top of the container and has its flexible upper oil-applying end in slidable contact with the underside of the moving chain 11 for lubricating the chain.

The brush 15 includes a bundle of brush material or bristles 18 projecting upwardly from a holder 19. The brush bristles may be made of various materials, such as horsehair, mixed horsehair and nylon, crimped nylon, and crimped stainless steel Wire. Horsehair has relatively good oil-retaining and capillary properties, while nylon has good wearing qualities. Crimping of nylon liber and stainless steel wire improves the oil retention. Stainless steel wire is suitable for Contact with hot surfaces, and also for providing a cleaning action.

The brush 15 is here shown to be of the at or strip type, the bristles thereof being reversely folded on themselves about a retainer rod 2t) and clamped at their folded portions in a channel member 21 of dovetail cross-section. The holder 19 is in the form of a horizontally extending bar of rectangular cross-section having a dovetail groove 22 along its upper edge in which the brush channel member 21 slidably tits and is detachably secured by a set screw 23 in the holder. The brush holder 19 is provided with an exteriorly screw-threaded tubular supporting shank or stem 24 the upper end of which is flxedly screwed into the midportion of the bar-like holder.

The oil container 14 comprises a circular metallic base plate 25 and an upright cylindrical shell 26 mounted thereon, the lower end of the shell tting within an upstanding marginal flange 27 on the base plate and being suitably secured to the base plate, as by cementing 28. The shell is preferably formed of a transparent material, such as Lucite, to permit visual inspection of the oil level in the container. The container base plate 25 has a central opening 29 receiving the upper portion of an exteriorly screw-threaded tubular mounting body or fitting 3ft having an intermediate peripheral flange or collar 31 on which the base plate rests, the base plate being cramped to the fitting by a nut 32 screwed onto the upper end of the fitting, and there being a sealing ring 33 surrounding the fitting above the flange. The lower portion of the fitting is clamped to a suitable support 34 such as an apertured bracket through which the tting extends. The fitting flange 31 rests on the top of the bracket, and the fitting is clamped to the bracket by a nut 35 screwed onto the lower end of the fitting. The tubular mounting fitting Sil has an interior screw thread 36 into which the brush holder shank 24 is screwed, the shank being clamped in axially adjusted position by a lock nut 37 threaded on the shank and engaging the upper end of the fitting. A compression elbow tting 33 is screwed into the lower end of the tubular fitting 3f! for connection to the flexible oil supply conduit 13.

The constant level device 12, which is here shown to be of the barometric type, comprises a tubular chamberforming feed cup or base 39 with a lateral outlet 4) and an elevated vent 41, a superposed sealed oil reservoir 42 from which oil is gravitationally fed into the base to a predetermined level therein by a depending vertical nozzle 43, and an exteriorly screw-threaded tubular bottom shank 44 supporting the base and extending through an apertured supporting bracket 45, the shank bcing clamped to the bracket at an adjustable elevation by nuts 45 to vary the oil level in the base. The tubular shank includes a selectively usable bottom outlet which is closed by a screw plug 47. The reservoir 42 comprises metallic top and bottom heads 4d and 49 and an interposed cylindrical shell Sil of transparent material such as Lucite. The lateral outlet 4@ of the tubular feed cup or base 39 is connected by the flexible conduit 13 to the oil container of the fountain brush unit. The oil level 17 in the oil container will thus be the saine as the oil level in the constant level device. f desired, the constant level device may serve a plurality of fountain brush units. The constant level device may be generally similar to that shown in rny United States Patent No. 2,979,161, issued Apr. ll, 1951.

In the use of the underside lubricating apparatus, oil is supplied from the constant level device il?. to the brush Vfountain or oil container 14 to maintain a substantially constant oil level 17 in this container. From the oil pool 16 in the container, oil passes upwardly in the brush by capillary action and reaches the upper edge of the brush which is in slidable yielding Contact with the underside of the moving chain. A thin lin of oil is thus caused to be deposited by the brush onto the chain to lubricate the chain, the deposited oil 'Ending its way into the chain joints, and excess oil being avoided. The flexible brush bristles will follow the contour of the moving chain, thus spreading and distributing the oil on the chain surfaces. The wiping action of the brush also serves to clean the chain. be deiiected from its normal path of travel, as by vibration.

The chain is here shown to be disposed transversely of the width of the dat brush, but in some cases the chain may extend longitudinally of the upper edge of the brush. The rate of oil feed can be varied by adjusting theV oil level in the container 14, this being effected by raising or lowering the constant level device 12 on the bracket d5. The diameter of the oil container shell 26 is considerably larger than the width of the brush, thus forming a collector to catch any dripped or spattered oil.

The brush is initially vertically adjusted by turning its The flexible brush will yield if the chain shouldy screw-threaded shank 24 in the mounting fitting Sil to bring the upper edge of the brush into Contact with the underside of the chain or other moving element. After rush wear occurs a similar adjustment willrestore the proper brush Contact. The brush shank may also be rotatively adjusted to equalize the wear on the brush.

While a iiat brush is shown in the drawing, it is also possible to use a round brush, one form of which is hereinafter described.

lf additional chain cleaning is desired, the chain oiling `brush can be preceded by a similarly mounted brush, such f as of stainless steel wire, the brush fountain or oil container being supplied with a cleaning iiuid, or the container being omitted in the case of a dry brush.

In the modified form of lubricating apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a fountain brush unit 6i), FIG. 4, is disposed below the chain 11 or other moving member to be lubricated.l The fountain brush unit 69 includes a cuplike oil container 64 in which is centrally disposed a generally vertical capillary-feed round brush 65. The lower portion of the brush extends in a pool of oil 66 in the container, the oil pool being maintained at a suitable adjustable level 67 by a constant level device, such as the device 12 of FIG. l, connected to the oil container by a iiexible conduit 13. The brush projects above the open top of the container and its flexible upper oil-applying end is in slidable contact with the underside of the moving chain to lubricate the chain.

The round brush d5 comprises a bundle of brush material 68, like that in the brush of FIG. 2, folded about a retainer ring 70 and confined in an upwardly opening cup-like brush holder 69, the upper edge of the holder being crimped inwardly to increase the grip on the brush bundle. The brush holder is provided with bottom ports 71 and has a central tubular bottom boss 72 from which an axial nozzle 7 3 projects upwardly into the brush bundle. A tubular brush-supporting shank or stem 74 extending axially of the brush has its upper end screwed or otherwise rigidly secured in the holder boss 72. The shank is provided at an intermediate region with a number of lateral ports '74', and the lower end of the shank is closed by a plug '74".

The oil container 64 comprises a circular base plate 75 and an upstanding cylindrical transparent shell 76 cemented or otherwise secured thereon, as in FIG. 2, the base plate having a marginal iiange 77 coniining the shell and also having a central opening 79. A tubular mounting body or fitting Si) with an axial bore d6 and an intermediate polygonal hub or collar 31 is screw-threaded at its upper and lower end portions. The threaded upper end portion of the fitting passes through a centrally apertured saucer-like drip tray or catch basin Si), a superposed retaining nut 9% therefor, and the container base plate 75, whiclrrests on this nut. The drip tray, which has a drain conduit 9i connected thereto, is clamped to the fitting hub 81 by the superposed nut 9d, and the base plate is clamped to the nut 9d by a top nut 37, and is sealed by a packing ring 83. The mounting fittingV Si) is clamped to a suitable support 34, such as an apertured bracket through which the threaded lower end of the fitting extends. The fitting hub S1 rests on the bracket, and the lower end of the fitting is clamped to the bracket by a nut S5. Y

In addition to the drip tray 89, or in substitution thereof, a funnel-shaped drip collector 92 is secured to the upper edge portion of the transparent container shell 76, as by a press tit or by cementing.

The brush holder shank 74 extends slidably through the axial bore 86 in the fitting di? to permit convenient vertical and rotational adjustment of the brush from below, and is frictionally clamped in vertically adjusted position by a packing member 93 screwed into the lower end of the fitting and axially compressing a packing comprising a pair of stacked sealing O-rings 94 of synthetic rubberlike material surrounding the shank in frictional engagement therewith. The upper end of the mounting fitting has a central recess 9S adapted to receive the bottom boss 72 of the brush holder when the holder is in its lowermost position.

The fitting hub 81 is provided with opposed or angularly Vspaced radially extending bores 96 and 97, the former bore being connected by one or more ducts 9d to the upper'recess 95 of the iitting, and the latter bore intersecting the axial bore 86 of the fitting to communicate with the lateral ports 74 in the brush shank. Cornpression fittings 88 and 99 are secured in the respective radial bores 96 and 97, the former being connected to the flexible oil supply conduit 13, and the latter being connected to a flexible compressed air supply conduit 199. 'Oil is supplied through the conduit 13 from a constant level device, as in FIG. 1. The oil in the container rises by capillary action in the brush 65 and is applied by the brush to the underside of the chain to lubricate the chain. Compressed air at an adjustable pressure is supplied through the conduit and passes upwardly in the tubular shank 74 and nozzle 73 into the interior of the brush,

the air diffusing upwardly in the brush to facilitate the rise of oil in the brush and also to regulate the oil feed. In some instances, capillary action alone may not produce a sufiicient rise or flow of oil in the brush, particularly with some types of brush material and brushes having relatively long bristles, and also for high rates of oil application, in which event'the compressed air will produce the required feed of oil.

The vertically shiftable tubular brush shank 74 is shown to be slidably mounted in the tubular mounting fitting 80, but it is possible to provide a screw-threaded engagement of this shank in the fitting, as in FIG. 2, thebrush shank, however, remaining accessible from below.

In some cases, the oil and compressed air conduits may be transposed, in which event oil will iiow upwardly through the tubular brush shank into the brush, and the compressed air will bubble up through the oil in the container 64 and fiow upwardly along the side wall portions of the brush, and also into the brush by way of the holder ports 71, to induce upward passage of oil in the brush. To confine the upward flow of air close to the sides of the brush a tubular shroud or guide 101 is disposed to axially surround the cup-like brush holder.

The construction shown in FIG. 4 may be modified as shown in FIG. 9 for admitting air (or oil) to the lower end of the vertically shiftable brush shank, the plug 74" being omitted. In this modiied construction, a flexible compressed air conduit 160 is connected to the lower end of the tubular brush shank 74 by a compression elbow fitting 162 including nuts 103 and 104. In this construction, the lateral ports 74' in the brush shank and the associated radial duct 97 in the mounting fitting can be omitted. The flexibility or" the conduit 100 permits vertical adjustment of the brush shank. The brush shank 74 may be rotatively adjusted from below after loosening the packing member 93 and the upper nut 104 of the compression elbow tting 192.

in FlG. 4 the oil container bottom plate 75 and drip tray 89 are shown to be separate members, but in some instances, these members may be combined in a single tray-like member, the nut 9i) being omitted.

The modiiied form of underside lubricator shown in FlG. 7 is provided with a cup-like fountain or oil container 114- whic'n is here shown to be generally similar to that of FlG. 2, and receives therein a pool of oil 116. The container comprises a marginally anged base plate 125 having a transparent cylindrical shell 126 xedly secured thereon, as in FIG. 2. The container may be mounted in any suitable manner, as by means of one or more mounting ears 125 formed on the base plate. A peripherally shouldered tubular body or fitting 130 has its upper end portion extending through the central portion or" the base plate and clamped thereto by a nut 132. A generally vertical inverted oil-applying brush 65, here shown to be a round brush like that of FIG. 5, is disposed in the container and has a cylindrical mounting shank 74 which slidably lits in the tubular fitting 130 for vertically adjusting the brush, the shank being clamped and sealed in adjusted position oy a pair of surrounding stacked O-rings 94, like those of FIG. 4, conned and axially compressed by a packing nut 93' screwed onto the lower end of the tting. The upper end of the brush projects above the plane of the upper edge of the container shell 126 and is engageable with the underside of a moving member 11 to be lubricated, here shown to be a length of metallic strip stock, although this member may be a chain or belt.

An oil reservoir or sump 139 is disposed below and detachably secured to the marginal portion of the container bottom plate, as by screws 140, the reservoir having a central vertical tubular portion 141 to clear the fitting 130. A piston pump 142 has a pump barrel 143 attached to the underside of the bottom plate 125 of the oil container and is provided with a horizontally extending spring-retracted plunger 144 projecting from one end of the barrel and a valved inlet and discharge head 15,5 at the other end. An inlet pipe 146 extends downwardly from the pump barrel head into the body of oil 147 in the reservoir, and a discharge pipe 1428 extends upwardly from the pump barrel head through the bottom plate 125 and has a reversely bent discharge end 149 above the oil level 117 in the container. An axially adjustable overflow pipe 156 extends vertically in the oil container 114 to determine the oil level 117 in the container and has a discharge end extending through the bottom wall of the casing. A small electric motor 151 is mounted on the side of the reservoir and has a slow-speed horizontal shaft 152 eccentric to the pump plunger and provided with a cam or swash plate 153 which bears axially against the free end of the plunger to operate the pump. By way of example, the motor may be of a well-known type with an output shaft rotating at l r.p.m. or other relatively low speed. The lower end of the overilow pipe 159 is directly over the swash plate to lubricate the moving parts.

The operation of the underside lubricator of FIG. 7 is similar to that of FIG. 2, oil passing upwardly in the brush 65 by capillary action, and a thin iilm of oil being deposited by the brush on the underside of the moving member 11. The constant oil level 117 is maintained in the oil container 114 by the plunger pump, the delivery of which is greater than the oil consumption. Dripped and spattered oil will fall into the container 11d.

The releasably clamped vertically adjustable brush shank 74 is readily accessible from below the oil reservoir or sump 139 to initially adjust the brush contact and to compensate for brush wear. The brush may also be rotated occasionally to avoid uneven wear. The oil sump 139 can readily be attached and detached with respect to the superposed oil container without disturbing the container. lf desired, compressed air may be admitted to the lower end of the tubular brush shank 74, as in FIG. 9.

Another form of constant level device that may be used to supply oil to a fountain brush unit is a drop feed oiler 212, a portion of which is shown in FlG. 8. This oiler includes an air-tight Sight feed chamber 213 disposed below the bottom head 214 of an oil reservoir 215 which is generally similar to that of FlG. 1, except that the reservoir is open lto atmosphere as in a conventional drop feed oiler. The bottom head 214 has a downwardly projecting tubular boss 21d from which a drip nozzle 217 projects downwardly into the sight feed chamber 213. Gil is fed dropwise into the sight feed chamber through theA drip nozzle under the control of a superposed needle valve 218. A hollow duct-forming mounting shank 219 has a windowed upper end portion which is screwed onto the reservoir head boss 21d and encloses a cylindrical transparent shell 220, such as of Lucite, dening the side walls of the sight feed chamber. The lower portion of the mounting shank 219, which is exteriorly screwthreaded, is generally similar to that of FIG. 1 and is clamped in vertically adjusted position to vary the oil level 221 which is located at the lower end of the drip nozzle. Oil is conducted to the fountain brush unit from t1 e lower end of the mounting shank.

in the operation of the constant level device of FIG. 8, consumption of oil by the chain lubricating brush, such as that of FlG. 2 or FlG. 4, will cause the oil level ir' the air-tight sight-feed chamber 213 to recede slightly, allowing a few drops of oil to descend from the drip nozzle 217 to restore the normal oil level. The cycle of operation is then repeated.

l claim:

1. In an underside lubricator7 an open-top containerfor holding a pool of oil therein, a capillary-feed oilapplying brush disposed in said container and having its lower portion adapted to be submerged in the oil pool, said brush having bristles projecting upwardly from the container for yielding contact with the underside of a moving member to be lubricated, a tubular conduit-forming supporting shank for said brush projecting downwardly therefrom for upflow admission of oil to said container, and means for rigidly securing said tubular shank to Said container in vertically adjusted position.

2. ln an underside lubricator, an open-top container for holding a pool of oil therein, conduit means for supplying oil to said container, a capillary-feed oil-applying brush disposed in said container and having its lower portion adapted to be submerged in the oil pool, said brush having bristles projecting upwardly from the container for yielding contact with the underside of a moving member to be lubricated, and air duct means for supplying a flow of compressed air upwardly through said brush to assist the rise of oil in said brush from said container.

3. 1n an underside lubricator, an open-top container for holding a pool of oil therein, conduit means for supplying oil to said container, a capillary-feed oil-applying brush disposed in said container and having its lower portion adapted to be submerged in the oil pool, said brush having bristles projecting upwardly from the container for i yielding contact with the underside of a moving member to be lubricated, and means including an air duct extending upwardly in said brush for supplying a flow of cornpressed air upwardly within said brush to assist the rise of oil in the brush from said container.

d. ln an underside lubricator, an open-top container for holding a pool of oil therein and including a bottom wall, a mounting bodysecured to and projecting downwardly from said bottom wall, a brush disposed in said container and having its lower portion adapted to be submerged in the oil pool, and a brush-supporting shank vertically adjustable in said mounting body and carrying said brush at its upper end, said brush having bristles projecting upwardly from said container for yielding contact with the underside of a moving member to be lubricated, and said mounting body having passages therein for conducting oil and compressed air into said container, said compressed air passage communicating with said brush.

5. In an underside lubricator, an open-top oil container for holding a pool of oil therein, a subjacent oil reservoir, pumping means for transferring oil from said reservoir tosaid container, overfiow means for returning oil from the container to the reservoir and maintaining7 a substantially constant oil level in said container, and a capiilary-feed oil-applying brush disposed in said container and having its lower portion adapted to be submerged in the oil pool, said brush having bristies projecting upwardly from the container for yielding contact with the underside of a moving member to be lubricated.

6. In an underside lubricator, an open-top container for holding a pool of oil therein, a subjacent oil reservoir, pumping means for transferring oil from said reservoir to said container, driving means for said pumping means carried by said reservoir, overflow means for returning oil from the container to the reservoir and maintaining a substantially constant oil level in said container, and a capillary-feed oil-applying brush disposed in said container and having its lower portion adapted to be submerged in the oil pool, said brush having bristles projecting upwardly from the container for yielding contact with the underside of a moving member to be lubricated.

1n an underside lubricator, an open-top container for holding a pool of oil therein, a capillary-feed oilapplying brush Vdisposed in said container and having its lower portion adapted to be submerged in the oil pool, said brush having bristles projecting upwardly from said container for yielding Contact with the underside of a moving member to be lubricated, and constant level oil supply means for said container including a drop-feed oil dispenser having an air-tight oil discharge chamber and a downwardly projecting drip inlet at the upper end thereof, said discharge chamber coniining therein a pool of oil fed by said drip inlet, and rise of the oil level in said discharge chamber to a position covering said lower end of said drip inlet stopping the discharge of oil from said drip inlet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 352,009 11/86 Seery 15-607 473,025 4/92 Seward 15-221 531,176 12/94 Furbush 18A- 16 779,503 1/05 Robbins 15-522 1,424,974 8/22 Barnett 184-103 2,278,886 4/42 Langbein et al. 184-103 2,582,901 1/52 Doyle 18d- 103 2,800,199 7/57 Mlynarck 134-16 FORElGN PATENTS 711,396 6/54 Great Britain.

LAVERNE D. GEGER, Primary Examiner.

5 MELTON KAUFMAN, Examiner. 

1. IN AN UNDERSIDE LUBRICATOR, AN OPEN-TOP CONTAINER FOR HOLDING A POOL OF OIL THEREIN, A CAPILLARY-FEED OILAPPLYING BRUSH DISPOSED IN SAID CONTAINER AND HAVING ITS LOWER PORTION ADAPTED TO BE SUMBERGED IN THE OIL POOL, SAID BRUSH HAVING BRISTLES PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM THE CONTAINER FOR YIELDING CONTACT WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF A 